“As a society, we fear death. For many it is certainly apprehension of the unknown. However, for those of us who know Christ, the resurrection gives us hope. When Jesus came out of the grave that day, He not only conquered death, He removed the term from our vocabulary!”How can a well protected tomb be left empty?
After the death of Jesus Christ our Saviour, two very important men buried him in a very expensive unused grave. These men were secret followers of Jesus and were great men of Jewish council.
Joseph of Arimathea
Not all the members of the Jewish Council agreed on the sentence passed against Jesus. The trial of Jesus was repeated and the evidence investigated more carefully.
Joseph of Arimathea came to Pilate to ask for Jesus’ body for burial because he was entitled to do. As a member of the Council who opposed the death sentence ruled against Jesus Christ, he was anxious not to lose his seat in the Council or his influence on the nation’s course. Pilate avenged himself once more on the Jews, who would drag executed criminals to the Hinnom Valley to be devoured by jackals, and surround by burning rubbish. God saved his Son from such shame after the Son had finished his vocation as the divine sacrifice on the cross by leading Joseph to bury him in a respectable expensive tomb. “Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away.” (John 19:38)
Nicodemus
The second member of the Council who voted against the Council decision was Nicodemus who had earlier tried to nullify the secret judgment passed by the Council against Jesus, and demanded a fairer sitting to verify the facts. “Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?” (John 7:51)Nicodemus arrived bringing 75 pounds (about 34kg – NIV) [TEV – 100 pounds about 45kg] of precious ointment, as well as a grave clothes to wrap round the torn body and also to help Joseph bring down the corpse and bury it after anointing, a procedure followed by the nobility.
The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ led these two men to honour his dead Son, that the promise of Isaiah 53:9 might be fulfilled, that He would be buried with the rich and the noble in a decent grave. So there was no better way to honour Jesus than for Joseph to offer him his own tomb near the site of the crucifixion outside the city walls.
The order of appearance
The order of Christ’s after resurrection appearance seems to be as follows according to the Gospels: –
- To Mary Magdalene and the other woman. Matt. 28:8-10, Jn. 20:11-18, Mk. 16:9-10
- To Peter probably in the afternoon. Lk. 24:34, 1 Cor. 15:5. There is no record of this event except the mention in 1 Cor. 15:5
- To the disciples on the Emmaus road toward evening. Lk. 24:13-32, Mk. 16:12
- To the disciples except Thomas in the Upper room. Lk. 24:36-43, Jn. 20:19-25.
- To the disciples including Thomas on the next Sunday night. Mk. 16:14, Jn. 20:26-29.
- To seven disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. Jn. 21:1-24.
- To the apostles and more than five hundred brethren and James, the Lord’s half brother present. 1 Cor. 15:6-7.
- To those who witnessed the ascension. Matt. 28:18-20, Mk. 16:19, Lk. 24:44-53 & Acts 1:3-12.
- The events at the Passover dawn (Easter – Jn. 20:1 – 10)
“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!’”
The disciples and the women who followed Jesus were distressed by the happenings of what we call Good Friday. The women watched at a distance how Jesus was placed in the tomb. The women and the disciples all had to hurry home so as not to be blamed for breaking the Sabbath law that starts Friday 6:00pm.
On that great Sabbath coinciding with the Passover Feast, no one dared go to the tomb. The multitudes were rejoicing at the though that God was reconciled with the nation symbolically with lambs slain but Christians were gathered fearfully and tearfully as their hopes lay buried with their Lord’s burial.
Early Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and a few other women went out in tears for the anointing. When they neared the tomb, they were distressed in grief, thinking that the tomb was sealed by a huge stone. But on arriving they were dismayed to see the stone was rolled over by someone for them.
The open grave was the first miracle of the day, a witness to our anxieties and unbelief that Christ is able to roll away all stones weighing down our hearts. He who believes finds help in God.
When Mary Magdalene peered (looked very intently or carefully) into the tomb, she found no body there. terrified, she rushed to the disciples bursting out with, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!” This was an added crime and this is confirmed by the statements of the guards who were bribed by the Jews leaders to say, “His disciples took his body while we were asleep.” Matt. 28:11 – 15.
- How would sleeping people know what had happened?
- Would it be possible likely that all the soldiers were sleeping at the same time?
- Why would Roman soldiers risk incriminating themselves even for a large bribe?
- This story is self-contradictiory!
“So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw [the empty tomb] and believed.”
Peter and John raced to the tomb. Peter, the older one was running behind the youthful John. Both forgot their fear of spies and guards and passed through the city gates. When John reached the tomb, he did not enter but waited Peter’s arrival, a mark of respect for the senior apostle to see the tomb and its vacant state first. John was shaken by what he saw at first glance of the stone rolled away, the tomb open and the body vanished. The grave clothes also were carefully arranged.
When Peter entered the tomb, he perceived that the kerchief that had been on Jesus’ face was placed separately on the side. This meant that the body had not been stolen. When John show, he believed in Christ’s resurrection. Imagine all those years he spent with Jesus, he did not believe him until after his resurrection. And it was not his meeting with the Risen One that created faith in him but the empty tomb and the grave clothes neatly folded pointed him to the truth and to the faith. What is that, that can point you to the truth and faith in Jesus Christ?
The morning of the Great Feast witnessed two disciples returning home, troubled yet hopeful, trusting yet questioning and prayers to Jesus, who had left the tomb with his whereabouts unknown.
Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene (20:11 – 18)
“...but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?’ ‘They have taken my Lord away,’ she said, ‘and I don't know where they have put him.’ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. ‘Woman,’ he said, ‘why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’ Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher). Jesus said, ‘Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’’ Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And she told them that he had said these things to her.”
The two disciples went back after realizing and seeing that the tomb was empty. There was no use in staying there at the tomb.
However, Mary Magdalene returned to the tomb after telling the disciples that it was empty. She stayed on, even though the two had gone home, because she was not content with the mere fact that the body had vanished. She held on to Jesus, for he was the hope of her strength. Losing sight of the body, her hope melted away. So she wept bitterly. “…but Mary stood outside the tomb crying.” Jn. 20:11
In the depths of her grief, Jesus sent her two angels who appeared to the other women also. Here she was seeing them sitting by the empty tomb in white. But they could not comfort her, because only seeing Jesus would do that. Her heart called out, “Where are you, my Lord?”
- What do we want?
- Why do we want what we desire?
- What are our goals?
- Do we accord with Mary Magdalene and ask for nothing save to see Jesus?
- Is your heart crying for him to come again into your life?
Jesus called her by name this time, “Mary” (Jn. 20:16) to tell her that he knows her even by name just as the Good Shepherd could calls his sheep, whom he knows by name, offering life eternal. Jesus now calls you and me by name.
Mary answered in a word “Master!” after recognizing the resurrected Jesus standing near her. So Mary’s answer resembles the rapture of the waiting church which after a long expectation will see her Lord coming in the clouds, worship him in submission and praise him with “Hallelujah!”
Mary fell before Jesus in adoration trying to touch him, to hold on him never to leave him this time. Jesus prevented her from touching him because his love for her is spiritual now. He had granted her his voice and his presence and wished the growth of her faith by union with the Holy Spirit. This has show us clearly that neither touching Jesus, nor holding on to him will create union with him but rather it is faith in his Spiritual Being which unites us with him through his Holy Spirit.
- Do you hear his voice, leaving behind all your doubts and sins to come to him?
By means of this message to the disciples through Mary, Jesus comforted them and called them his brothers. By faith we become Jesus’ brothers and sisters, because of his cross and resurrection and immortal life. He calls us BROTHERS not just beloved. He signed the charter of our divine sonship with his own blood on the cross which is foolishness to the world.
- What is the substance of the message that Mary had to pass on orally to the disciples?
- First that he was alive. Mary’s meeting with Jesus was a historic fact.
- Second, Jesus’ Father was also ours; with this promise Jesus drew his disciples into the perfect fellowship with God. He did not speak of God distant, mighty and as judge, but a Father, Loving and Near. He is our Father because he is no longer our enemy on account of previous sin but loves us, who are forgiven by the ransom of the cross.
Christ dwells in union with his Father and he wishes us to dwell in the Trinitarian union by the pouring out of his Holy Spirit, for love to flow out of us. He thus put the promise of full fellowship on the lips of Mary who first saw him after his victory over death. Mary was obedient; she left off the prostration at his feet and ran to witness to the disciples proclaiming his brotherhood with him and God’s fatherhood in union with us by grace. This message, like a trumpet of rejoicing, fills our sad hearts today. Joseph one of the richest and honored man buried Jesus. He gave Jesus his personal GRAVE.
- Nicodemus very important person in the Council gave Jesus TREASURE.
- Mary Magdalene the star woman, who has nothing, gave Jesus the TIME.
- Has that joy of acceptance with God and your reviving reached you?
- Do you believe Mary’s message as the first messenger of the news that Christ had risen?
- What is that you want to give to the resurrected Jesus today?
May this article be a blessing to you all.
Build the church in you
